Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-02

know. that the State has paid Mr.. English. 1t
is claimed that because the State got the benefit
ofths rock in the construction OF the sea-wall.
that the State should pay for it My answer is,
that the State has paid for it. 1t has paid Mr..
English and his as Tociates. 1t is claimed that
the State should pay the persons damaged. To
this acswer, that if they had presented their
claims before a final settlement was had with
the contractors, their claims would have been
respected and the amount deducted from the
contract price. But now that the contractors
have received the money, they, and they alone,
should pay those claims. The State is not i'll
the business of laying the debts of private ndi-
vidnals, and / presume will not now pay the
debts of Mr.. English and his associates. The
state Board of Harbor Commissioners kept back
for the statutory length of time 20 per cent of
the contract price for the purpose OF paying all
legal claims which might become lien upon
its property. But not one of these persons pre-
scented their claim, and the Board naturally pre-
sumed that there were no claims i'll existence.
1t must be very plain to every member on the
floor of this House that if those claimants have
been damaged, Mr.. English and his associates
are responsible and not the state, and If we
pass this bill we will be simply voting away
so, 600 of the peoples money to pay the debts
of private individuals. The plea is made here
that those claimants are all poor people and
cannot afford to sue Mr.. English and his asso-
cates. There is no member on the floor of tins
House who sympathiZes more with the poor
than |. ! know what it is to be poor myself,
but We must not let our sympathy run away
with our better judgment. We ere here to rep
resent the people and TO work Tor their best i'll
terest and we must not waste their money. If
we are disposed to be generous, let it be with
our own coin and not with the peoples money.
After some debate the motion to strike out the
enacting clause was lost-ayes 81, noes 81.
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
Knox then made speech in opposition to the
bill, which he characterized as being in the line
OF dishonest legislation. He did not regard Bill
English as one of the wards of the state, even
if the Democracy did regard him in the light of
little if any less than than the Messiah.
Brllsie replied TO the insinuations made by
knox, that it was a dishonest measure in the
strongest language. The member from Los An
geles had on several occasions referred to cinch
bills, thieving measures, dishonest legislation,
corrupt methods, etc, and he for one had be-
come tired of hearing these Puritanical lect-
ures from the member who posed upon the
pedestal of purity, morality and honesty who,
IRON his own statement, was too angelic to aSSo-
ciate with the common herd" His wings
Were sproutipg, and he should soar to that an
gelic choir which is supposed to be remote
from California Legislature heaven is from
hades If he was so pure, so honest so unsul-
lied, such specimen of immaculate chastity,
he should Immediately resign his position
member of this Legislature, remove himself
from this dishonest company, withdraw from
this body of thieves and State-treasury robbers,
and HE himself to his home, where he will be
received i'll the open arms of his one-lunged
constituency, who will crown his statesman-like
brow with a chaplet of laurel.